Article carrier



D.E. HAGERMAN.

ARTICLE CARRIER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 12. 1921.

1,412,054, I Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

UNITED STATES PATENT 0FFlCE.

DONALD EDGAR HAGERMAN, OF WASHINGTON, NEW JERSEY.

ARTICLE CARRIER.

Application filed May 12,

T 0 all whom. it may concern:

Be it known that I, DONALD EDGAR HAGER- MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at VVashing ton, in the county of Warren and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Article Carrier, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention is a for bottles, jars, and the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a bail or carrier of the character described which can be readily and conveniently attached and detached from bottles and jars with a minimum of effort and manipulation, and. which possesses certain improved features of construction over similar devices now on the market. It is also an object of the invention to produce a device such as the above having a simple construction permitting it to be manufactured economically.

The important features of the present invention reside in the means for locking the slidable gripping jaw of the device when in carrying position on the bottle or jar, and in means for permitting at least one of the jaws to expand so as to be applicable to jars of varying sizes, as well as in an improved handle or grip which permits a relatively heavy jar or bottle to be carried comfortably without injury to the hand and at the same time serving as a name or identification plate.

The invention further resides in sundry details of construction hereinafter specified and claimed.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention is disclosed in the form in which it is considered tobe the best, but the -invention is not limited to such form because it is capable of being embodied in other forms; and it is to be understood that in and by the claims following the description herein it is intended to cover themvention in whatever form it may embody within the scope thereof.

In the drawings which illustrate the invention:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the bail or carrier illustrating the jaws in gripping or carrying position.

Fig. 2 is an elevation of the device, as shown in Fig. 1, applied to a bottle or jar,

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating a matter of applying the carrier or bail about the neck of a bottle or jar,

Fig. 4 is an end view of the device shown bail or carrier Specification of Letters Patent.

- 2 when in carrying position.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

1921. Serial NO. 468,986.

in Fig. 1 but with the sliding jaw thereof slightly modified, and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the handle of the bail taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawings, A denotes a strand of wire having an intermediate portion bent to a semi-circular formation and the remaining portions of the strand bent at substantially right angles thereto, thus providing side supporting members l and a laterally offset stationary gripping jaw 2. The members 1 extend substantially parallel from the jaw 2 for substantially half their lengths to the point m, where they diverge upwardly. The end portions 3 of the members 1 are then extended at substantially right angles in a direction toward each other and have their extremities coiled, twisted, or otherwise secured to the opposite side members, as at 4, to form the handle B. The portions3 of the strain A are spread apart as clearly illustrated in the drawings to provide a broad handle or grip. A handle cover plate 5 is substantially coxetensive with the extensions 3 of the strain A and is disposed on the under-face of' said wire portion 3 with its side edges 5 rolled around the latter as particularly illustrated in Fig. 5.- The underface of the plate 5 is convexed to present a comfortable, smooth and rounded surface to the hand.

A second strand of wire C is bent to a semi-circular formation to provide a jaw 6 to cooperate with the jaw 2 for gripping about the neck of a bottle or jar. This jaw 6 has its ends looped or otherwise loosely secured about the parallel portions, respectively, of the side members 1 so as to be loosely slidable thereon.

It will thus be seen that when the bail or carrier is held in the position shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing, it can be readily applied about the neck of a bottle or jar immediately beneath the usual bead F thereof, the jaw 6 lying in the same plane of the jaw At the juncture of the stationary jaw 2 with the side members 1 is provided notches '7 laterally offset relative to the side members 1, these notches being formed by bulging or bending the strand of wire A at this point. The function of the notches 7 is that,

after the device has been applied to the jar as shown 1n Fig. 3 and the slidable jaw 6 has moved to the position shown in Fig. 2, the

loops 6 engageinto the notches 7 and, by reason of their offset position, prevents the jaw 6 from becoming accidentally disengaged from the bottle orfrom its locking and cooperating a position with the stationary 2, especially while the bottle or jar is being supported or carried by the bail. The jaw 6 will, however, remain in the position shown in Fig. 2 even should the bottle or jar be temporarily put down on a floor, table, or other support and the handle B released by the person holding the same.

The stationary jaw 2 is provided at an intermediate portion thereof with the resilient open-loop 8, which is substantially resilient to open or spread when the jaw is applied to a bottle or jar of greater diameter than the normal diameter of these jaws 2 and 6. Thus it will be seen that the present bail is applicable for use with bottles or jars of varying sizes. It is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the spreading loops 8 being formed in the stationary jaw 2 as it may be formed in the jaw 8, or both if desired (seeFig. 4).

It will be observed that by diverging the upper portion of the side of the bail sufficient width can be obtained to permit the entire human hand to be inserted under the plate 5 for a convenient and comfortable carrying of the carrier and its load. It will also be observed that the upper surface of the plate 6 is of such width as will prevent any legend or identification placed directly thereon. The side edges 5" of the plate 5 are spaced from the upper face of the plate to permit a card 10 to be removably inserted thereunder.

It will be obvious that the present device may be applied to bottles and jars without special manipulation (see Fig. 3) because the slidable aw 6 will fall by gravity in the position shown in Fig. 2, and as soon as the weight of the jar or bottle is suspended from the bail the jaw 6 becomes securely locked in the notches 7 against accidental displacement.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. An article carrier comprising a bail. a pair of cooperating jaws on the bail to engage about the neck of a bottle or jar. and expansible means in at least one of said jaws whereby the carrier may be applied to bottles or jars of varying sizes.

2. An article carrier comprising a bail. a pair of cooperating gripping jaws on the bail to engage about the neck of a bottle or jar, and resilient means in at least one of said jaws to expand when the carrier is applied to bottles or jars of larger sizes than the normal size of said gripping jaws.

3. An article carrier comprising a bail, a fixed jaw on said bail to partially fit around the neck of a bottle or jar, a complimental i iaosa jaw slidable on the bail to move automatically to cooperate with the fixed jaw for fully embracing said neck when the bail is in carrying position, and means at the juncture of said fixed jaw and said bail in which said slidable jaw engages when in carrying position relative to the fixed jaw for locking the slidable jaw against displacement while the carrier is applied to the bottle or jar.

4. An article carrier comprising a ball, a jaw fixed on the bail and extending laterally thereto to partially fit around the neck of a bottle or jar, a second complimental jaw slidable on the bail and adapted to drop by gravity when the bail is in vertical position to cooperate with the fixed jaw whereby said jaws will fully embrace said neck, and a laterally offset notch on the bail extends in the direction of said slidable jaw and in which said latter jaw engages when in cooperating carrying position, whereby the latter is locked in said carrying position While the carrier is under the stress of the weight of the bottle or ar and whereby said slidable jaw may be automatically released from locked position when the weight of the bottle or jar is relieved therefrom and the bail moved from an inclined position.

5. An article carrier comprising a bail, a fixed aw on said bail to partially fit around the neck of a bottle or jar, a slidable jaw on the bail to cooperate with the fixed jaw to fully embrace said neck, and a resilient loop in at least one of said jaws to expand when the carrier is applied to bottles and jars of larger sizes than the normal size of said jaws.

6. An article carrier comprising a bail, a pair of complimental cooperating gripping jaws on the bail to engage about the neck of a bottle or jar, said bail including a pair of spaced side members of wire having their upper portions extended in a direction toward each other with the extremities thereof secured to the upper end portion of the oppositemember, whereby a handle is formed, said extended portions being spaced apart for the purposes set forth.

7. An article carrier comprising a bail, a pair of cooperating gripping jaws on the bail to engage about the neck of a bottle or jar, said bail including a pair of spaced side members of wire having their upper portions extended in a direction toward each other with the extremities thereof secured to the upper end portion of the opposite member, whereby a handle is formed, said extended portions being spaced apart, and a plate substantially coextensive with said last mentioned extended portions and disposed underneath the latter with its side edges rolled around the same but spaced from the upper surface of said plate.

8. An article carrier comprising a strand of wire bent intermediate its ends to a substantially semi-circular formation and having the parallel portions of said strand bent .at substantially right angles to said semi- ,to the parallel portions of said bail and adapted to drop by gravity when the bail is in vertical position to cooperate with said first jaw to fully embrace the neck of a bottle or'jar, and laterally ofi'set notches at the juncture of said first mentioned jaw and said parallel portions, said notches extending in the direction of said slidable jaw and in which said slidable jaw engages when in cooperatingcarrying position with said first jaw, whereby the slidable jaw is locked in said carrying position while the carrier is applied to a bottle or jar.

In testimony whereof I'have hereunto set my hand.

DONALD EDGAR HAGERMAN. 

